In a press conference, the leader of the "Albania Becomes" Movement, Adriatik Lapaj , commented on the latest developments regarding the clash between him and Endrit Shabani of the Thurje Initiative, for the only mandate won by the coalition in the May 11 elections.
Lapaj stated that there is a written agreement between the parties, according to which the mandate should be passed to the candidate with the most votes on the open list.
Since he came first in the standings, Lapaj said he had proposed that he, Shabani and Pano Soko withdraw so that the mandate would pass to Ms. Greta Ambeli, the most voted woman in the coalition in Tirana.
" I expected the implementation of this agreement, but when I was informed that one of Mr. Shabani's candidates withdrew from this commitment, it became clear that the agreement was not being respected ," said Lapaj.
He added that the coalition had entered the elections with a clear promise to citizens: that the mandate would pass to the candidate with the most votes.
"The unfair electoral law forced us to use this method to burn the closed lists. I regret that this commitment is now being violated ," he said.
In the end, Lapaj publicly challenged Endrit Shabani: " Let's come together and resign, so that the mandate goes to the most voted candidate on the list, Mrs. Greta Ambeli. Mr. Shabani wants the mandate to go to him, not to the most voted candidate from 'Albania Becomes'. This is not what we asked the citizens for ."